Open theScrabi opened 7 years ago
nico202
commented
6 years ago @TheAssassin thanks for the clarification. The anchor on the faq link is #DoesTheGPLAllowDownloadFee.
The link @yeahtheboys is linking should then just say that the program is under GPLv3 and that it is based/is NewPipe, right?
TheAssassin
commented
6 years ago Those are really just the ones I picked by hand from a single run after some hours of downtime of the script (maybe 500 mails). It is really frightening to see this amount of license violations.
Especially the first one is annoying because they're spamming the mail account with a lot of mails. Maybe some community member wants to report them...? There's hundreds of mails every single day...
com.misplacedgmbh.astrodomus is interesting, too, looks like a Facebook video thingy. But the most ridiculous aspect is, they're warning(!) their customers from violating copyright laws by downloading videos of people to their devices...
karyogamy
commented
6 years ago @TheAssassin Are those spam coming from real users? If so, why don't we hand pick a blacklist of package names? We can then send auto-replies to those emails outlining that the app being reported is using stolen code and the report will largely be ignored since the their devs are too lazy to not even change the error email address, and they should inform the devs of those apps and/or use NewPipe instead.
BrianBtheITguy
commented
6 years ago TheAssassin
commented
6 years ago @BrianBtheITguy you got that wrong. This is a legal fork of the NewPipe source code, following the GPLv3 license. What he means is he's grateful NewPipe has been released as free software, so he could fork and modify it. But thanks for letting us know anyway. Let me analyze and summarize the situation.
As the reviews in the Play store confirm, this is just another cheap attempt to earn some money the easy way by putting ads into the app. A couple of users even claim those ad links would contain malware. Just another drop in the ocean... Looks like someone even bought positive reviews to make it look legit...
The funniest aspect is probably, some German "computer magazine" (tbh, I don't regard them as very serious) posted that app as a "cool YouTube player" and highlighted the pop-up player: https://www.pcwelt.de/a/so-nutzen-sie-youtube-in-dauerschleife,3449646 I doubt they even read the README, and found out who's developing the actual app (considering that app author even posted a link to NewPipe...). But yeah, that'd require some serious journalistic work.
There's some contact information on the page. The dev is from Palo Alto, CA. The address points to a UPS office, according to OSM. Probably some student who's too lazy to develop something himself. I'd be interested in an analysis how much the source code was modified.
Entwickler E-Mail an jonathanlee020266@gmail.com senden 555 Bryant St, Palo Alto, CA 94301
I'd say, send them feedback this way. I wouldn't be surprised if that address wouldn't be read by the authors...
So far I don't see any violation in the license. This guy didn't even really understand how the GPL works, but that's another story. The repo contains exactly one commit, although the app is listed as "last updated Jan 1 2018". I don't see any advertisement implementation, but I didn't really look into the code.
If the code base should lack the advertisement, he's violating the GPL by not releasing the full source code.
Just to make this clear once again: The app has not been approved by anyone. It wouldn't need any approval. As the first post tells you, as long as you follow the terms of the GPLv3.
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago Technically it is ok what @hungtm288 does. However we didn't approve this, and I found it a little sad that people start forking, and use our work for their benefit. @hungtm288 could have talked to us about this, however he didn't.
ghost
commented
6 years ago @TheAssassin: And the license of the ad lib is probably not compatible with GPLv3 either.
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago We should really consider to release a lite (google complient) version on the PlayStore.
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago I wrote PC Welt with a little hint to our press kit ;D
TheAssassin
commented
6 years ago Technically it is ok what @hungtm288 does.
And the license of the ad lib is probably not compatible with GPLv3 either.
Right, @wb9688. But if the GPLv3 is not compatible with the other license, the author must not use that ad library. Furthermore, even if they were compatible, the author would have to publish the entire new code base. This has not been done. Therefore, it's a GPLv3 violation.
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago @TheAssassin I just saw its not a legal copy. They never put the link to their source code somewhere. Here is the link. Please do something ;D
TheAssassin
commented
6 years ago 
There's the link. And that's not what makes it illegal. Please read my last comment (https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/issues/539#issuecomment-367284565).
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago Yes I red your commend. I just mixed something up, you where right. Sorry.
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago But well we might got him anyway. I compiled his sources. Also I disassembled the version on Playstore, and I found out that the compiled one does not match the on on PlayStore.
In the compiled version gms, ads and firebase are simply missing. Also these libs are nonfree/proprietary libraries that are linked, and packed up into the same .dex file. So like @TheAssassin said, and according to this paper we have a license fraud. @TheAssassin Is this a valid argument?
TheAssassin
commented
6 years ago Yep. That's what I was talking about.
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago Here are some new ones: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.litetube.floatingtube.floattube
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago @Poussinou you asked me lately weather there are things to take down. This app still needs to be removed from playstore, and is rather nasty right now: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.floattube.liteyoutube
TobiGr
commented
6 years ago ghost
commented
6 years ago @TobiGr: The first one is gone and the second one doesn't look like NewPipe in the screenshots.
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago The second one definitely is NewPipe even from the screenshots. They just changed some bits.
ghost
commented
6 years ago You're right, I hadn't looked further than the first few screenshots.
TobiGr
commented
6 years ago The first one is gone
Maybe someone has already took action and the people at GPlay were fast 😆 That app existed half an our ago 💁♂️
TheAssassin
commented
6 years ago @TobiGr you don't know whether they read this issue...
Poussinou
commented
6 years ago It takes a lot of time now to remove an app from the Play Store. I think the fake developer is following this issue... Thanks for reporting 👍
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago fake developer is following this issue...
Guys, we may need a private thread at one of @TheAssassin.
TheAssassin
commented
6 years ago @theScrabi why should we have this conversation privately? It seems like discussing fakes publicly has a kind of preventive aspect.
If the fakers remove the apps themselves, that's a lot faster than having to beg Google. Sure, if they'd get their accounts locked or something by Google, they'd lose money, making fake apps of NewPipe expensive. But I have doubts that Google would remove any of these accounts, and even if they did, that'd take too much time.
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago why should we have this conversation privately?
@Poussinou:
I think the fake developer is following this issue...
I think he has a good point. There are definitely some copycats that read this.
It definitely not has a preventive aspect, if people learn from what we write here.
This in our readme.md has a preventive aspect: WARNING: PUTTING NEWPIPE OR ANY FORK OF IT INTO GOOGLE PLAYSTORE VIOLATES THEIR TERMS OF CONDITIONS.
TheAssassin
commented
6 years ago "Violates their conditions" != "breaks copyright law", though.
KeizerDev
commented
6 years ago Why don't you guys just check if the apk in production mode is signed with the production key other wise just instant finish the app. Just add a check in it and your basically done. Most copycats don't know how to read code anyways
TheAssassin
commented
6 years ago By the way, we've been mentioned in PC Welt's post, they must've edited it.
NewPipe: Alternative zur Youtube-App Es gibt massenhaft Apps, mit denen man Youtube-Videos anschauen kann. Empfehlenswert ist da beispielsweise die Android-App „NewPipe“ vom Entwickler Christian Schabesberger und seinen Team. Erhältlich ist es über die Plattform F-Droid, und zwar als APK-Datei zum Herunterladen . Eine solche APK lässt sich ganz einfach in Android installieren; vorher muss nur in den Geräte-Einstellungen im Bereich „Sicherheit“ hinter dem Punkt „Unbekannte Quellen“ ein Häkchen gesetzt werden.
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago Nice. Yes I wrote them a mail. :D
Why don't you guys just check if the apk in production mode is signed with the production key other wise just instant finish the app.
Yes, could be an idea to get rid of the small copies.
Poussinou
commented
6 years ago I prefer to keep this conversation public, even if I miss some fake developer's URL... More transparency is always better
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago All right.
ArchangeGabriel
commented
6 years ago I came here to report https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.liteyoutube.videorocket, but it seems that’s only the tip of the iceberg and that you are already fully aware of those copycats.
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago Here are some new ones that can be reported:
The steeped up their game, but still fail. However these are a lot right now, so we really should try to get NewPipe into PlayStore soon.
prabhakar18474
commented
6 years ago Guys is it not possible to remotely update apk from github????if it is possible then convert update link into short link so that nobody can identify and start updating apk remotely every 6month I'm for sure you guys reach everywhere without publishing apk in play store
TobiGr
commented
6 years ago @z3ntu found these and posted them here
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.floattube.liteyoutube seems to violate both GPL and Google Play. The source code in the github repo linked wasn't updated since November 2017 but the last update on Google Play was in March of 2018 (and the version codes are different too)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mithun doesn't even link to source code (maybe in the app?)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teampaleo.alphatube links to a github repo with just a (nearly empty) readme.md file
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.litetube.floattube outdated source code
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.litetube.videorocketbeta outdated source code (also the repo name is "MyFirstApplication" but it seems to contain newpipe sources
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=br.com.snapdark.tube.background no source linked
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.videofloat.floatvideo2018 doesn't even say it's forked from newpipe & doesn't link source
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.haftech.HDVideoDownloader doesn't even say it's forked from newpipe & doesn't link source
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wpsapp.videodownloader doesn't even say it's forked from newpipe & doesn't link source (also funny, they say "Youtube is not supported due to their terms of service." but the app probably only supports youtube)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tube.amharic also forked from newpipe - apparently "disable some function to follow Google policy."
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.softmedya.streamyoutubeplayer doesn't even say it's forked from newpipe & doesn't link source
deep-gaurav
commented
6 years ago Hey guys, new here, but not new to newpipe, had been using for almost half an year now, Thanks for great app btw,
I started making this Music player app to learn android programming https://github.com/deep-gaurav/MusicPiped , which isn't fork of NewPipe but uses NewPipeExtractor, It doesn't count as a copycat does it? Or if it violates GPL v3 I'm not good at licenses, ?
JuniorJPDJ
commented
6 years ago @deep-gaurav it doesn't GPL3 is violated when you sell/distribute your software without sources or when you use part of GPL code in non-GPL licensed code. Your code is GPL licensed so everything seems to be ok.
ghost
commented
6 years ago @JuniorJPDJ: Yeah, but you can also license it under compatible licenses like AGPL.
deep-gaurav
commented
6 years ago @JuniorJPDJ that's good then, thanks
theScrabi
commented
6 years ago @deep-gaurav no its not a copy, the extractor was ment to be used in different projects. SkyTube for example also uses the extractor. Good luck :)
deep-gaurav
commented
6 years ago @theScrabi thanks, btw, is site like songspk welcome to be added in extractor, I plan to add them if they are, It's like place for all indian songs...
(I think i should not discuss this in this issue, I'll open one in Extractor repo, later)
prabhakar18474
commented
6 years ago I would like to buy newpipe source code
On Thu, Oct 4, 2018, 3:01 PM Christian Schabesberger < notifications@github.com> wrote:
@deep-gaurav https://github.com/deep-gaurav no its not a copy, the extractor was ment to be used in different projects. SkyTube for example also uses the extractor. Good luck :)
— You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/issues/539#issuecomment-426950173, or mute the thread https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AlbANmtvPsP2zABteVzddz0EoujRp2LOks5uhdWGgaJpZM4NTw8o .
pboulerie
commented
6 years ago aTube Catcher - http://www.atube.me - Android Version looks like a copycat : http://files.dsnetwb.com/atubecatcher.apk The interface really looks like NewPipe 's ...
Poussinou
commented
5 years ago Here we go with another one : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.maasss.mtube2
And this one : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.litetube.videorocketbeta
Poussinou
commented
5 years ago Another list :
gkeegan
commented
5 years ago https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=play.tube.playtube.videotube.musictube.tubevideo
This one as well.
Edit: it has 5 million downloads :(
infinitytec
commented
5 years ago Wow. The Play store has a ton of them.
theScrabi
commented
5 years ago Yea huge bullshit.
Follow these instructions if you want to report an app on the Google Play Store!
Hey guys, I happen to notice some new copycats which seemingly violate our License.
Once again, it's OK to copy NewPipe as long as you do not violate our GPLv3 License. Please inform yourself about GPLv3 before forking!!!
I already mailed some of the copy kiddies, but they seem to not react on it (like always), so my question is how should we handle these copycats in the future?
List of known and active copies/forks
In the Google Play Store
In the Huawei AppGallery
In the Samsung Galaxy Store
Other copies/forks